The Gaming Giant Recruits Popular Battle Royale Producer to Boost Troubled Action Game Project Ethos

2K Games has appointed a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the development team at their internal studio, which is currently developing the anticipated third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Management Transition Comes After Mixed Response

The new appointee steps into the leadership position at 31st Union following the exit of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' underwhelming unveiling last autumn.

Recently, the company's top executive a key figure notified team members about this decision through an official communication, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had revealed the necessity for a more defined vision.

Ismailer noted that the team is now reimagining Project Ethos with a refreshed vision, aiming to address community desires.

A Pattern of Strategic Hires

This announcement echoes a comparable action taken by 2K Games in August, when they brought on an industry veteran from the Diablo team to assist with the beloved franchise development group.

Here is the complete message from Ismailer's announcement:

Hello Everyone—

I understand you all just completed your meeting - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the good news. Last time I sent you all a update, I stated the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most driven and talented developers we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re excited for that collaboration to continue.”

Through your commitment and adaptability, particularly over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.

The gamer responses from last autumn’s Project ETHOS testing phase was revealing. It confirmed the potential of a action-packed game but indicated we still had improvements to make. It uncovered the necessity for a clearer brand.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the input to mind and revamped Project ETHOS with a refreshed goal - one that’s poised to fulfill its potential to our audience.

The belief in Project ETHOS grows every day. To advance the outstanding development you’ve made, I’m excited to introduce the new hire as the new Lead of the team. Following some time of conversations, Ben officially joins us on Monday, October 20.

His management and background in the PVP shooter field is considerable, having dedicated the past decade and a half producing and managing some of the most recognizable series in gaming, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, the battle royale hit.

Let’s together in receiving Ben in the coming days. We are all excited to persist seeing the progress of the game in the weeks to follow.

The President

Experience of the New Head

The appointee presently serves in the role of senior developer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. Brinkman earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in multiple development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, earlier in his career, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Details and Concept

The upcoming game was unveiled in October 2024 together with a community playtest. At the time, the developers described the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an innovative advancement on the category."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in real-time to match your preferred approach," the official summary reads. "Face the competition with fresh skills, risks, and tests that evolve every round. Do you leave securely with your collected items? Alternatively take a risk, put it on the line, and pray your group can secure victory? The choice is yours."

Project Ethos has not yet received an announced launch window or platforms, but fans can look forward to more updates as production continues.